July 17, 2026

The President’s Message is published in the MHA Weekly News Report, a member-only publication of the Montana Hospital Association. To subscribe, click here.

I’m happy to report that ten MHA member leaders have been named to the Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) Center of Excellence (CoE) Advisory Council. The appointments were announced last week by the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS).

The appointments mark an important step for the RHTP program in Montana as Initiative 2 kicks into high gear.

The hospital leaders named to the council are an excellent group of dedicated Montana healthcare professionals. They bring an impressive depth of first-hand experience working in rural healthcare in a wide variety of places, facilities, and roles.

That’s important because the CoE Advisory Council is tasked with helping develop and oversee implementation of RHTP Initiative 2 (Sustainable Access). Initiative 2 is the highest funded initiative of the program and will focus on optimizing population health clinical infrastructure, while leveraging remote care services and rural provider partnerships to protect and expand access in rural communities.

As President of the MHA, I accepted the Statewide Hospital Organization Representative appointment and will serve as a non-voting council member. All appointments on the CoE Advisory Council are for an initial 2-year term.

Advisory council member’s input on CoE goals, initiatives, and implementation strategies is critical to making sure Initiative 2 has meaningful, on-the-ground impact for our hospitals and our communities.

It’s also worth noting that recent conversations with other state hospital associations have highlighted that Montana’s program stands out as an example of how close collaboration and partnership with the state can have productive results for our members. The MHA has worked hard to ensure broad hospital engagement across the board, and that work will continue for the life of RHTP.

Please help me congratulate the MHA member leaders named to the council:

• PPS hospital representatives:
  • John Goodnow, FACHE, Great Falls, CEO of Benefis Health System
  • Lee Boyles, Billings, President of Intermountain Health Montana and Wyoming
  • Kathryn Bertany, MD, MBA, Bozeman, CEO of Bozeman Health
  • James Duncan, Billings, President Emeritus of Billings Clinic Foundation
• CAH/rural emergency hospital (REH) representatives:
  • Owned by or affiliated with a PPS hospital:
    • Parker Powell, Glendive, CEO of Glendive Medical Center
    • Abby Lotz, Red Lodge, CEO of Beartooth Billings Clinic
  • Independent, non-affiliated CAH or REH representatives:
    • Greg Hanson, MD, Plains, CEO of Clark Fork Valley Hospital
    • Nickolas Dirkes, MHA, Glasgow, CEO of Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital
    • Steve Todd, Ronan, CEO of St. Luke Community Healthcare
    • Kevin Harada, MD, Havre, President and CEO of Northern Montana Health Care